Life Long Secrets
by CMCRD
Summary: Title may change. When Ria enters Hogwarts, a whole new world is open for her, one of magic, danger, and secrets that were hidden under her nose since birth. Chapter 4 Up! R&R. PLZ READ!
1. The Letter

_Disclaimer Page- _

_I don't own Harry Potter, Severus Snape, Hermione Granger, Remus Lupin, Draco Malfoy, Ginny Weasly, Ron Weasly, Lavender Brown, Luna Lovegood, or anything you see that you recognize._

_I do own Victoria Epanss and in a part, Mya Epanss. I also own most of the new Hogwarts children, since in the story line they don't technically exist yet._

_I don't own any music in here, nor poetry. If the poem does happen to be original, I'll let ya know._

_I hope you all enjoy the story and although I do not own him, I do wish Severus was my own._

_Hmmm, have to talk to Ms. Rowling about that one._

_Grins_

_I love reviews. They make my world go 'round._

_If I get five reviews per chapter, I'll love each and every one of you forever, since that's the only way I know my story is being read._

_Muah! (Kissy Noise) Moi! (French Kissy)_

_Snape's Epanss_

_P.S.- I will try to remember to have a disclaimer on each chapter, but I'm not promising anything, that's why I put this here._

* * *

**_The Letter_**

Victoria sat on the bed, looking at her mother.

"Mommy?" She asked tentatively.

Mya Epanss looked up at her tiny daughter, "Yeah, Ria?"

"Who's my daddy?" Her eyes showed so much innocent concern for her mother and for herself.

Mya shook her head, "I've told you before, I'm not sure it's fair for you to know before him, so when I tell him, I'll tell you too. Okay?"

Ria nodded, "Promise you'll tell him real soon?" she held out her pinky.

Mya linked pinkies with her daughter. Then she pulled the four year old into her lap. She put her chin on her dark, bushy head.

Ria snuggled into her mother's embrace.

"Mommy?"

"Hmm?" Mya was deep in thought.

"Do you know where Daddy went?"

"No, I'm sorry Sweetie, but I don't."

"Okay Mommy."

Mya sighed. "It's about time I showed you something. It's an example of your father and my relationship."

Then she let the young girl by the hand to the kitchen where she filled a cup with water, then filled another with oil.

"One cup is full of water, the other of water. Oil decided that was all he wanted to do with his life. Be Oil. Water was confused as to her path. She could become juice, ice, tea, coffee, soup or even sauce.

"Water and Oil had been pushed together for years" she pushed the cups close together, " and they finally got to know each other. So, Water realized that all she wanted to be was with Oil," She took a spoon and scooped some water up and put it in the cup with Oil. "They tried it for a while, but realized that no matter how much they stirred, they couldn't mix. Water left, taking a bit of Oil with her."

Ria looked up at her mother, "Am I that part of Oil?" She asked with a small sad look.

"Yes. And you're the best part of Oil that Water could have ever asked for."

Ria hugged her mother's legs and looked up at the thoughtful woman.

Mya bent down to her daughter's level and picked her up, hugging her back.

"Don't be sad Mommy. This Oil won't leave, I promise. I love you."

Mya smiled into her daughter's hair. "I know Sweetie. I know."

Just then, a screech sounded through the house as a barn owl flew through the open window.

"Gip!" Ria giggled as their owl landed on the table before them.

Gip left the two letters and the package on the table before them and flew over to his water dish and food bowl.

Ria grabbed her letter off the table and looked at the package. "It's for me!" She yelled happily, grabbing it and racing away from the table.

"Do you need help reading the letter?" Mya asked with a small smile on her face.

"No Mommy!" she said and hurried toward the door of her room with a huge grin on her face.

"Read the letter first!" Mya yelled and shook her head as she sat down and opened her own letter. It read:

_Mya,_

_It's time you came back. Everything has blown over, and it's not healthy for you **or **Ria to be holed up. Is it fair to keep her in the dark like this? Yes, she knows about magic, but does with she know what it's capable of? With her temper and parents, she really needs too._

_Listen to me My, I'm not telling you that you have to use your name. It would be nice. Very nice. But I'm not here to convince you to declare your name off the Astronomy Tower. I just want you to think of yourself. And think of Ria. She doesn't know her father or even his name. Hell, he doesn't even know she exists. Mya, she needs a father figure in her life._

Harry misses Hermione. It's understandable. He's completely floundering since her death at the Battle of Hogwarts. He visits her grave daily. He has nightmares about her death so often anymore. We all saw her go down, but no one saw her die, nor was her body ever found. The grave is empty.

_My, I can't keep visiting the cottage. People are going to discover where I'm going, and if they find you without you being ready, well, let's just say it will not be pretty. You need to come back. So much has changed since you went into hiding!_

_George has grown up so much, although he's still an idiot. He and Luna are very happily married with two children, and her about to burst with her third. _

_Harry's alone but hiding from the press while waiting for Voldemort's next attack. Once old Voldie's out of the way, he'll settle down, he's promised me he will._

_Remus and I just had our first child! Ugh, I can't believe you missed the wedding! It was so funny. Most of his family is gone, so it was the Weasleys and like two Lupins. The church was packed, as you can imagine. Mum's family wasn't there, due to the whole disowning thing, but hey, what can you do? She's happy._

_We named our little girl Hermione (to honor 'Hermy''s death) Mya (Since I miss you so much) Lupin (For the obvious reason)._

_My, I don't think you can keep hiding much longer. I know Ria's probably bursting with questions. You're going to have to answer them soon._

_I miss you so much Mya. Come on back. Come to dinner on Ria's birthday for a celebration at TonaMarie's (it's a pizza joint, despite the classy name) and then lie low at my house for a bit. Two weeks later, come back to the Burrow for the office party Dad's holding. That way, it doesn't seem weird you're there, and then you'll get to know everyone as my guest._

_Warning you now, I'm not sure if Albus is bringing HIM, but he won't recognize you **or **Ria, you look too different. _

_All my love,_

_Ginny W. Lupin._

_P.S. Don't flip over Ria's presents (Yes, it's plural, the job's going very well, and I owe her a few from holiday's I've missed) the most dangerous thing will only grow with her skill level. Be happy, the twins wanted to send a package of Canary Creams._

Mya read the letter six times before Ria came bursting out of the room, arms full and a smile on her face.

"Look what Aunt Ginny sent!" she laughed.

In the bundle was a Wizell Phone (The new version of a cell phone, magic-friendly) a never-dry quill pen (Ink changed color to will, and you never had to dip it) and a broom. A small, toy broom. Mya assumed that it was the dangerous thing that Ginny was referring to, and that it was what would change with her skill level.

"Can I try it Mamma, can I?" She asked, referring to her broom.

"Go ahead, but in the garden and make sure no one can see you!" Mya insisted, standing and following her daughter out to the garden.

Mya nearly had a heart attack as she watched her daughter mount her broom and shake a little. Then, the broom hovered and she flew slowly around the garden, smiling and laughing the whole while.

"Mommy, do you want to try?" The little girl asked, the questioning eyes of a four year old looking at her mother.

"No, honey, you keep going. Maybe I'll try later," she said, knowing full well she would not.

She looked at her surroundings. Not a house or building in site, and no humans for as far. Not much had changed since she had grown up in this house with her mother and father, except for the occupants of it.

Green hills rolled as far as the eyes could see, stopping only where the blue sky met it. Trees topped the hills, making them hard to see over. The hills were on all sides of the house, making it a flood threat, but a simple anti-flood charm quickly stopped any worry of that. The air was clean and clear, unlike that of the city. Only one other place was as clean and quiet as this, and that was the large, unplotable castle that was Hogwarts.

Mya missed the magical world and the friends that came with it with all of her heart, but she had fled it. Coming back would be like admitting she was wrong to leave, something Mya didn't like to do.

At the same time, looking at the girl who was so happily flying, she knew in her heart, mind and soul that she had to return. She didn't necessarily ever have to see HIM again, and even if she did, who's to say he'd even know it was she? It was like Ginny said, since she had changed a lot.

Ria deserved to know both worlds and decide then, Mya realized. They'd leave the next day.

"Hey, Ria! What did Aunt Ginny say?"

"Oh! Lemme go get the letter!" The smaller girl said, hopping off her broom and running into the house.

Not a minute later, she came skipping through the door she had left open, clutching a letter in her pale hand.

_Ria,_

_How's my little Re-re? Uncle Remus sends his kisses, but they're not as loving as mine! I miss you loads. How about you try to convince your mommy to come have dinner on your birthday? Then you can come and meet the new baby! Hermione, her name is. She's so sweet and sleeps all the time, but I think she'll be awake enough to give you a smile._

_How's your mommy doing? Are you taking good care of her like the big girl that you are? I hope so, because if she is, then you'll get another present! _

_Tell your mommy to quit hiding and get over here so her best friend can see her again, okay?_

_Happy birthday brat, and I hope you love your gifts. Don't let your mom talk you out of riding the broom, it's the most fun you'll ever have._

_Call me any time on the Wizell Phone. Just say Ginerva Lupin, and you'll get my phone, okay? _

_Take care of yourself and the presents. Write back with your new quill. _

_Love ya lots my little Re-re! _

_Hugs and kisses from all of us to you, and make sure to give some of those to your mom._

_Have fun. _

_Aunt Ginny._

"Can we call her mommy?" Ria's little face was grinning. How could Mya say no to that?

"Okay, bring me the phone."

Ria ran into the house at a speed Mya hadn't even ever seen her use before and came back with the phone.

"Can I call her?" Ria asked.

"Go ahead. Just be sure to say the name clearly."

Ria nodded.

"Ginerva Lupin!" She told the phone.

"Connecting, hold on."

Suddenly, a picture of Remus popped up on the screen of the phone.

"Hello?" It said.

"Uncle Remus!" Ria yelled in delight.

"Hey, it's Re-re!" he smiled, "How you doing, kiddo?" He asked her warmly.

"I'm good. Mommy and I are going to come eat there on my birthday!" she said to the picture.

"Hey!" Mya intervened, "I never agreed."

Ria smiled up at her mother. "Well, you never said no!"

"Good God, did I just hear the voice of Mya Epanss?" Lupin said.

Ria quickly handed the phone to her mother and ran over to her broom.

"Hey, Mya, how are you doing?" He asked her.

"Tired. A four year old is tiring. Tell Ginny I said 'Thanks' for the broom. Just what I needed, making it even harder for me to keep up with my own kid."

Remus laughed.

"Well, we all miss you up here. I take it Ginny told you about the baby?"

"Yes, congratulations. Did you break the Weasley curse?"

"Nope, and I'll have you know I love the endearing red hair of the lovely woman that is Ginny. It's her best physical quality, over shadowed only by her winning personality."

Mya had to laugh at that obvious forced compliment.

"Let me guess, she's standing right behind you?"

He nodded, smiling widely.

At that, Ginny took the phone off her husband.

"Mya! I didn't expect you to call right away."

"You knew Ria would make me, which is why you put that she could call anytime in the letter."

"I've been caught, have I?"

"Of course, I'm too smart to fall for that."

"We all know that Mya."

It was amazing how quickly the mood could turn from joking to serious.

"I thought the first thing you'd do would be to ask me if I was coming." Mya said, pretending to be disappointed.

"I heard Ria tell Remus. What time?"

"I haven't even decided how we're getting there. We don't have the money for muggle travel, and I'm not hooked up to the floo network."

Ginny thought for a second. She really didn't know how her friend could get there.

"And I can't Apparate, because of well, you know." Mya sounded embarrassed.

"Yes, I know."

They both thought for a second before a voice spoke up behind Ginny. "How about the Knight Bus?"

Ginny instantly liked the idea.

"Yes, and we could reimburse her once she got here."

"No Ginny, that's not necessary."

"Yes it is and you know it. You have, what, 10 galleons to your name?"

"It's eleven, thank you very much."

"Tell Stan to put the extra on the Lupin tab, and we'll repay you the other 11 when you get here."

"You shouldn't have to pay, we're the ones visiting."

"You agreeing to come back won me 50 galleons, so don't worry." Ginny had her 'I did something wrong' look on her face.

"You bet on me? With who?"

"Draco Malfoy. I told him about you and that you might come to visit. I won 50 of Malfoy's money!"

Mya shook her head, "You are so much like your brothers that it amazes me."

"It shouldn't, I grew up with them."

Mya just gave her friend a smile that clearly showed that she was happy to be returning after so many years.

"It's been 7 years since I saw anyone but you and Remus and Ria, and although you guys are good company, a four year old takes more sanity then I'm worth."

Ginny laughed a clear, chiming laugh.

"How's the baby Gin?" Mya asked, suddenly serious.

"She's fine. Red hair and freckles amuck, but she's healthy. A bit of trouble during delivery, but that was more me then anything."

"What do you mean?"

"I wasn't dilating right. Had her cesarean."

"Isn't that muggle medicine?"

"Like father, Like daughter, My."

Mya sighed, "Yeah, and remember how well that turned out for him! Your mother was ready to kill him. Stitches indeed! Muggle medicine needs to be kept away from wizards!"

Ginny just laughed, "Yeah, and it hurt like hell."

"Ginny! Your baby's in the room!"

"Nah, Remus took her to the balcony for a bit of fresh air. It's beautiful up here My. Noon sound good?"

Mya nodded, "I'll get on the bus with Ria about 6ish, okay? They're busy on Saturdays. If we get there early, is that alright too?"

Ginny nodded, "I'd have you come tonight if Mom wasn't coming over. If you think your ready, come on over. But I don't think you wanna see Mom first."

Mya shook her head, "Let's get through dinner tomorrow, we'll go from there."

Ginny's smile faded, "Oh, Mya… Be careful. Just because you've changed doesn't mean everyone has."

"You're talking about HIM, aren't you?"

"Yes. He's become so sour since the battle. He doesn't even know about Ria, but he acts like he lost so much that day."

"And he's not even talking about me. His wand snapped. That's what he cares about."

Ginny sighed and closed her eyes.

"My, I'm scared for you too, as much as I don't want to admit it so you don't change your mind. You were so scary when you left. Eyes blazing at everyone and everything, I wouldn't have been surprised if you had caught something on fire."

"We both know I couldn't have."

"Yes, but it wouldn't have surprised me."

"Gin, I'm better, but I don't think I'll ever be totally healed."

Ginny nodded, "Don't worry Mya. If anyone can do it, it'll be you. Ria needs you."

"She needs a father, something that because he wouldn't listen, she'll never have. Ugh! I hate how selfish he could be sometime! He seemed to enjoy working me up! The day he broke it off. I'll never forget it. It was the day of the battle-"

"Mommy! Mommy! Can I write back to Aunt Ginny?" A small voice interrupted her mother's reminiscing.

"Go ahead Ria!" She called back.

"Is it hard for you to relive?" Ginny asked.

"Very much so. The pain never died, just got hidden with the responsibility I received of becoming a mother."

"It's been over 7 years My. She's getting so big. It's time he saw her, even if he doesn't know it's his."

"I know. In a few years, she'll be off to Hogwarts, and I'll be all alone."

"You can baby-sit our munchkin. Remus and I want some time with ourselves you know!" Ginny's voice held humor, but Mya was hoping she'd actually let her baby-sit.

"Promise I can baby-sit sometimes?"

"Hey, it's fine with us."

Mya broke out into a grin. "I guess it's time for me to go get my own munchkin and get packing."

"See ya tomorrow!" Ginny yelled and the screen went blank.

Mya turned her own off and went into her house.

"Come on Mamma! It's 3:15!" the four year-old tried to rouse her mother from her sleep.

"In the morning?" Came the sleepy reply of the woman on the bed.

"Of course! We're going to Aunt Ginny's today, remember?" The girl shouted.

Mya got up reluctantly and got dressed.

"Happy birthday Ria."

"Thank you Mommy!" Ria shouted as she ran off the change out of her own nightgown.

Mya stood, staring at the calendar. Her daughter was five. She was 22. It had been so many years since she had left.

7.

Long years, those were. Longest of her life. Long as a witches time at Hogwarts, those years nearly killed her.

But she lived

She had lived through the heartbreak. She had lived through Childbirth, which she had done alone. She had written to the Ginny when the child was two months old, asking her to keep quiet and come help.

And now she was returning to the world she had hoped to never see again.

'Why does the right thing feel so dangerous?' She wondered.

"Because HE's there." She said out loud.

"Who?" A voice asked behind her.

Mya whipped around to see her daughter standing there in a pair of jeans and a top. Her shoes didn't match and her hair was a mess, but that's what you get from a four year old.

Mya ran over to her little girl and picked her up, turning around 2 times before putting the child down.

"You look beautiful Sweetie."

"Thank you Mommy! I couldn't decide which shoes to wear, so I wore both!"

Mya laughed, "How about we pack the other one of both pair so that when we go to eat, you can wear the same shoes?"

Ria nodded and smiled at her mother, then grabbed her hand. "Come on Mommy! Let's hurry!"

"Okay, let me grab my bag."

"No time! Come on bag!" Ria said, and surprisingly to Mya, the bags followed.

"Ria?" She asked.

"Yes?" Ria asked

"How did you know you could do that?"

Ria giggled, "How do you think I clean my room?"

Mya was still confused as all the bags and the two mismatched shoes followed after Ria dragging her mother away.

They walked over the hills until Ria realized something.

She turned around and yelled, "Come on broom! Come on Phone! Come on Quill!" and the broom, phone and quill zoomed to Ria.

Ria hopped on the broom. "Get on Mommy!" She yelled and, still in shock, Mya got behind her daughter.

"Keep following!" she yelled to all the objects and flew off until they got to the side of the road.

Mya stuck out her useless wand and waited until she heard the loud 'Crack!' of the Knight Bus.

"Welcome to the Knight Bus, transportation for the stranded witch or wizard. I'm Stan, and I will be your attendant for your trip."

Then he got sight of Mya.

"Are you a ghost?" He asked her.

"No," Mya answered, completely bewildered.

"So you aren't dead?"

"No," She said again.

"Hey Ern! Didn't the papers say that witch 'ad died? What was 'er name? Oh, it was-"

"You must be thinking of someone else."

Stan nodded, "I guess so."

Mya motioned for Ria to get on the bus, followed by Mya, followed by all the bags, still moving.

"What is your name?" Stan asked her.

"Mya," She told him, "Mya Epanss."

He nodded.

"I'm Victoria!" Ria piped up.

Stan looked at her as if just realizing she was there for the first time.

"Who is this?" He asked.

"I just told you! My name is Victoria!"

Mya looked at him, knowing full well what he had been thinking, she had, after all, seen him glance at her left hand when she first had boarded the bus, "That's my daughter."

His eyebrows rose through his hairline.

"Daughter."

"Yes."

He was laughably chilly to Mya the rest of the trip.

* * *

A/N- I don't know if it's clear because i changed my mind half way through, but Ria is one day away from being five. She's four. 


	2. Walk, Dreams and Arms

_Grrr, guess what?_

_I DON'T OWN IT!_

_Guess what else!_

_I NEVER WILL!_

_With that encouraging disclaimer, Here's Chapter 2-_

_**Walk, Dreams and Arms**_

Mya knocked at the door to the Lupin residence and waited.

"Knock again Mommy!" Ria insisted not two seconds after the first knock, then resumed her bouncing.

"But I keep on thinking bout you! Sister golden hair surprise! And I just can't live with out you, can't you see it in my eyes. I've been one poor correspondent, I've been too-too hard to find. But that doesn't mean you ain't been one my mind!"

"Where did you hear that?"

Ria kept bouncing in time with the song.

"Aunt Ginny used to sing it to me!"

Leave it to Ginny to sing her daughter an American Muggle song from the 70's.

"Will you meet me in the middle, will you meet me in the air, will you love me just a little, just enough to show you care. Well I tried to fake it, I don't mind saying I just can't make it. Doo do whop do whop doo do whop do whop doo do whop do whop doo do whop do whop doo do whop do whop doo do whop do whop doo do whop do whop doo do whop doo whop."

She continued singing and dancing until her mother had no choice but singing along.

Then Ria changed her song.

"Well it's been building up in side of me for oh-I don't know how long, I don't know why but I keep thinking something's bound to go wrong. But she looks into my eyes and makes me realize that she said 'Don't worry baby, don't worry baby, everything will turn out, don't worry baby'."

Mya laughed, "BeeGees?"

Ria nodded and Mya looked at her daughter.

"Well, I know what to get you for your birthday, Ria." Mya said.

"Don't bother, I have most every well known CD from 1960 on. I can burn you some copies," a voice said from the doorway.

"How long have you been there?" Mya asked her friend Ginny with a huge smile on her face.

"Long enough to know that Mya Epanss knows every word from 'Sister Golden Hair'."

"Hey!" Mya cried out indignantly, "It's your fault!"  
"I never knew you listened." Ginny said, pretending to be deep in thought.

"Ginerva Molly Weasley-Lupin, we both know that unless you were ranting about boys I listened to every word you said to me!"

"And could probably recount as many, Miss Photographic Memory!"

"Photographic Memories don't remember extraordinarily unless it's seen."

"You could pull it off," Ginny retorted with ease.

Mya stuck her tongue out at Ginny and Ginny grinned.

"Are you ladies going to stand in the doorway forever, or would you like to come in?"

"Remus!" Mya said with warmth hitting her heart.

"Hey, munchkin, how would you like to let Uncle Remus and Mommy get reacquainted and you hold Hermione?" Ginny asked quickly.

"Oh yes!" Ria shouted.

"Well, come on, sit down on the couch-"

"How are you doing Remus?"

"Better since the full-moon isn't for a while."

"How's Hermione-"

"Showing no signs, although Ginny did have a difficult birth, which is one of the indications."

Mya breathed out in relief.

Remus put his arm around Mya.

"How are you H-"

"Mommy!" a voice yelled from the living room, "I'm holding a baby!"

Mya had to laugh at that.

"I'm fine Remus, although not looking forward to the office party."

"Why not?"

"Blood is thicker then water. What if he recognizes," she nodded her head toward the living room door.

He shook his head, "Trust me, he won't. Lately, he hasn't seen two foot in front of his face. Not," he assured, seeing the look on Mya's face turn to concern, "From physical problems, but more from his living in the past." He gave Mya a pointed look.

"I was perfectly happy to risk my life for him. He's the one that pushed me away to 'protect me'."

"I know. He's buried himself in Order work."

"Who does that? Breaks someone's heart to 'Protect her'. My own thoughts could have beaten anything old Voldie threw at me any day."

Remus winced at the obvious indication of suicide and put the other arm on her chin, lifting it up to look in his eyes.

"You are worth more then 10 of him, don't let anyone tell you different."

"I wished I could believe you, Remus, but I would have given my life for him, and I still to this day hold him in a higher light then I hold myself. The only thing that could beat him out is sitting in the living room, screaming because she touched a baby."

Remus laughed.

"You still love him."

"Seven years can't change anything Remus. Even with out him."

"Well, it sure as hell changed certain _aspects _of how you look. I almost didn't recognize you on the Wizell."

"Ditto. It seems that this baby has done you some good."

He nodded and held open the door, "Ginny! Mya and I are going to go for a walk." He called.

"Okay, just don't steal my husband Mya Epanss!" She yelled back.

"Bye Mommy!" Ria yelped before more jumping could be heard.

"Who has that much energy this early in the morning?" Remus asked Mya.

Mya gave Remus a bitter smile, "That, my dear werewolf, is the energy of a girl hidden far to long."

Remus nodded, "You were in hiding quite a time, my dear hideaway," he imitated her sarcastic term of endearment.

Mya laughed again.

"Remus, are you sure I'm not too recognizable?"

"Well, I would suggest putting a glamour charm on before heading to the party."

"It's my eyes, isn't it?" She asked him.

"It's just _you _Mya. You're recognizable in yourself. You're so pretty, but it's not makeup pretty. It's genuine pretty, the type that doesn't use your face as a kindergartener's finger painting canvas."

She gave a dry laugh there, "You'd be surprised what Ria can pull off."

He just rolled his eyes at that comment, "But you don't do it to look pretty, My. You have to realize the difference. You have a brain that could surpass any other."

"Remus, that's not who I am anymore… Maybe I _was _but…. I'm not myself anymore."

Remus shook his head. "You're in there somewhere My. I'm just not sure where. Everything changed so much after you left. I can't believe it's been seven years that you've been gone… And now Ria's five…. It just seemed to go by so quickly."

Mya gave a little smile, "Almost too quickly."

Remus nodded in agreement, then looked up and said, "Harry misses you, ya know."

"He misses someone I'm not."

"He'll be happy to see you back."

"I've told you, he won't see _me _back, no one will. I'm going to use a glamour."

"He deserves to know."

"But I can't tell him."

"He's not dumb. He'll figure it out eventually."

"He doesn't have time for me… He's busy saving the world. He doesn't care anymore."

Remus shook his head. "Mya, he's not too busy. He pretends to be because he's sad. He's sad Herm died. He's just…. Sad."

"Listen to me. He won't know. No one will. I'm going to use a glamour. Everything about me will be different. Not Harry or anyone else can tell me any different."

Remus sighed, but gave up. They walked back to the household in silence, Mya glancing at Remus quickly.

He had changed so much since she had last saw him. He looked more well rested, although with a different type of exhaustion about him, more then likely from the baby. His hair was still brown with the stray grays, but it was better taken care of. His eyes were the real change. They were happy. They had a sparkle to them that she hadn't seen. She was glad to see him so happy, but she was also jealous. She couldn't be happy. She couldn't make Ria's father love her anymore then she could make herself forget about him.

She was pathetic.

It had been so many years. Yet she couldn't let him go. He haunted her dreams. Apparently, he haunted Ria's as well, because many nights, after Mya would wake up from her nightmares, she would hear Ria howl, and she couldn't wake her up.

She hated him for that.

She hated him for leaving her alone, for making her leave. She hated that he made her cry before she could tell him, let him know what he had fathered… _Who _he had fathered. She wished she had stayed, just long enough to tell him, just long enough to make him see that she couldn't forget him, because he left a permanent place in her life, a permanent spot on her heart, life, body and eventually, place in society.

Children born out of wedlock were shunned in the magical world. It was alright to get divorced, but your parents had to have been married at least once.

She knew the life Ria was heading into.

She heaved a sigh.

Remus looked at her as they stood on the porch. She hadn't realized that she had walked so far without realizing.

"A knut for your thoughts?"

"Make it two and we'll talk."

He gave a fake groan. "So expensive. Sit." He gestured at the porch swing.

"It's just…. Ria's life could be ruined because I never told him about her. She doesn't have a father, he doesn't know about her. But she…. I think she knows something. She wakes up in the middle of the night, in a cold sweat, screaming 'Daddy!'. What am I supposed to think, that she doesn't have a clue?"

Remus nodded for her to go on.

"She…. She's definitely strong. She can read my mind. I know that much, and I can't do a damn thing to stop her. My fake memories, my blocks, she gets through them all without a second thought. She's been summoning things to her since she was two months, before I owled Ginny. She hears more then she should, smells at a farther distance. She's extremely gifted on a broom, even though she picked one up for the first time yesterday. It… it scares me Remus. I can't do magic, and my daughter will surpass me soon. I may not be able to control her."  
Remus put his arm around the shaking girl.

"Gin and I will always be here."

"But I can't live off you forever. It's unfair to you, to Gin, to Hermione. Hermione deserves to have her time as an only child. I can't cramp you guys like that."

"You've been gone so long that it would only be fair to let us see you twenty-four hours a day for a while to make up for that."

Mya sighed, "But-"

"But nothing. Mya, until you get on your feet, if you try to move out, I'll get Ginny on you."

Mya glared at him half-heartedly. She was suddenly exhausted.

"Fine."

Remus smiled a smile that reached past his eyes and put his hand on her back, gently pushing her inside.

* * *

Harry Potter, Ron Weasley Albus Dumbledore, Severus Snape, Draco Malfoy, Neville Longbottom, Hagrid, and Colin Creevy all were in the Headmaster's quarters, and the younger 7 were waiting for him to speak.

Finally, Harry broke the uncomfortable silence. "Professor, what happened?"

Dumbledore sighed and sat down at his desk, his eyes devoid of their usual twinkling state.

"There's been another attack… in Diagon Ally. 16 deaths, 20 critical injuries and hundreds of minor injuries."

Draco looked up in surprise. "Who?"

"There were 6 of them. Your father, Bellatrix, Nott Sr., Goyle Sr. and Jr., and Crabbe Jr."

Neville swore loudly at the mention of Bellatrix's name.

Colin meekly looked at the headmaster.

"Why?"

"Well, I can't be sure, but I suspect they've found the prophecy."

"Didn't they already know about it?" Harry asked.

"There's another, a newer one."

Ron stared at the older man.

"What does it say?"

Dumbledore sat back in his chair, eyes closed.

"'_Mother's pride, father's wish, she lives to aid the battle. Named in remembrance of a lost loved one, she brings about the means for destruction. Led by those older then she, her brilliance radiates to all. With one last look upon the scene, the Dark Lord, to them, will fall._'"

Harry looked confused, but said nothing.

Ron, however, wasn't as silent. "'_Named in remembrance of a lost loved one_?' Who is it Professor?"

Draco looked directly at Ron. "What's the name of your sister's daughter?"

Ron looked like he was about to puke. "Oh Merlin." He said before hurrying out of the room.

* * *

Mya watched her daughter sleep on the couch, dark, messy hair pointing every which way on the pillow, with frizzed roots sticking up. Her skin was pale, and she had a single freckle on her right cheekbone. She was about 3' 5", and couldn't weigh more then 30 pounds. She was tiny, no matter how healthy she ate. Mya had always given her the full-fat milks, let her eat French-fries, even given her cookies at all hours of the day, trying to get her to gain weight. But she didn't.

Mya felt herself drift off to sleep, dreaming of a dark-haired man holding her, telling her it was all right. Then, her dreams turned for the worse.

_Mya opened her mouth to speak, but only hissing noises would come out._

_Turning her head a little, she saw a circle of masked men, clad in dark, flowing robes all looking toward her. No, not toward her, past her. She turned to see what they were looking at, and had to bite her tongue to keep from screaming._

_There, in a high, stone chair, sat a bald man with long, skinny fingers tapping against the arm. His features were misshapen, and he was in long, dark robes, but that was not what made her heart speed up. It was his eyes._

_They were blood red, and the look in them was malice, evil. He glared out at the circle of men, and his eyes paused at a gap between a small, frail figure and a tall, beefy man._

_"Wormtail!" He barked in a high-pitched voice that sent shivers down her spine, or lack thereof. _

_"Y-yes M-master?" the pathetic blob that was Wormtail asked._

_"Why is there a gap?" _

_"H-he must be b-back w-with the o-old f-f-fool, M-master."_

_"The information he provides better be good."_

_"Y-yes M-master, t-the b-b-b-best!" _

_"Get out of my sight Wormtail, your face is making me sick."_

_Wormtail ran backward so fast he tripped over his own feet and fell on his pathetic arse._

_The Death Eaters nervously shifted in fear and anticipation, and in Bellatrix's case, excitement._

_"Trix!" The Dark Lord barked._

_"Yes Master?" A eager and confident voice responded from behind one of the masks._

_"Come forward."_

_A skinny figure with a confident air about it stepped forward toward the snake-like man and bowed deeply before him._

_"Yes Master, what do you desire?"_

_"I grow bored. Torture one of the worthless ones until he comes."_

_"Yes Master, with pleasure."_

_And with that, the shape named Bellatrix grabbed one of the wizards from the back and pointed her wand on him._

_"P-please no!" He yelled._

_"It is for your master!" She screeched._

_He fell to his knees, already in pain. She was casting spells on him without even saying them out loud._

_He began to writhe. He screamed out, before muttering intelligible words under his breath._

_Suddenly, he went silent and slumped to the ground._

_Bellatrix lowered her wand and turned back to the Dark Lord and bowed deeply again. Then she retreated back to her place in the circle._

_There was a crack through the air as the final dark-robed figure appeared. He was tall and lean, and he fell to the ground in respect before the Dark Lord._

_"Master, I apologize. The old coot found out about the attack and I had to listen to his rants for hours."_

_"What news do you bring?"_

_"They know about the prophecy as well, Master, but they don't know _who _we're after, nor who would fulfill the prophecy."_

_"Maybe they didn't care for the girl as much as we thought. Do you think that the mudblood was cared for?"_

_The dark figure shuttered. "Yes, Master. She was Potter's best friend. The Mudblood was practically his life. He's fallen into a depression since her death."_

_"That only makes it easier to fight him."_

_"Yes, Master. He has lost so much he should be a cinch to kill."_

_"And once he is dead, you will get a king's reward."_

_"You are too kind, Master. It is far more then I deserve just to be in your presence."_

_"Get to your spot before I decide to take back my decision not to punish you for your lateness."_

_"Yes Master."_

_"Now, we need to find that girl! If she has the power to help Potter defeat me, then she has the power to help me defeat Potter. I want her found! And DO NOT HARM HER!" He screeched. _

_Every single Death Eater jumped at his loud tone._

_"She is very important to our cause. And be careful. Timing is everything. With a father like hers, wrong timing could cause a terrible problem for who ever goes to retrieve her."_

_A snicker echoed off the walls of the cave, probably coming from Bellatrix._

_"She may be named for a Mudblood, but the girl is crucial to this battle. You each heard the prophecy. '_With one last look around the scene, to them, the Dark Lord will fall._' We cannot let this happen. With out Potter and Dumbledore's guidance, she is bound to be as dark as any of us. We need her mindset to be focused on killing Potter. Are we clear?"_

_There were murmurs of consent around the room._

_"Trix and Malfoy, you two will go to the Lupin residence and get her. Tomorrow night. Be careful of the Squib's daughter. She may be a child, but I hear she is quite a loud child."_

_And with that, the scene around Mya began to fade._

Mya's eyes snapped open and she surveyed the room around her. She was covered by a blanket and the door was drawn shut, and the lights were off.

Mya had barely two seconds to relax before a scream resounded from in front of her, a squeal of pain.

* * *

Ron looked at Dumbledore.

"They've put a thousand curses on her to protect her, but I don't think it's going to be enough. None of us are trained in dark magic, so we don't know how to protect her against those curses."

Dumbledore nodded and looked out the window.

"We'll get those up too."

* * *

The wail continued. Mya placed her hands on her daughter's forehead. Remus and Ginny hurried in.

"What's going on?" Remus asked.

"I don't know! I woke up and she started screaming."

Suddenly, Victoria's eyes ripped open.

"Arm! Burning! Stop!" she screamed, clutching her arm in fear.

­

* * *

A/N- Would this be considered a cliffy?

10 million points to anyone who can tell me who was put under wards!

**Grins**

Sorry it took so long to get this up, end-of-the-year testing has started early, and I've had no time. Thank God It's over soon and I get to graduate and never go back to that school again!

Milk, cookies and cheese to everyone that reviewed!

The duckies ask you nicely to review to this one. Smiles so nicely


	3. Moldy Voldy

_This chapter is looooonng. Strangely enough, it took me two hours to write, which is the shortest it ever took me to write a chapter. _

_Enjoy dearly, dear readers._

_Chapter 4 is written, but I'd like at least.. let's say seven reviews before I put it up._

_Oh, and while I was reading over the first two chapter's, I saw that the first one had taken a life of it's own and I mentioned something I hadn't planned on mentioning until later… It's not a mistake… just a bit early. Don't worry, I won't remove it._

_Responding to reviews:_

_Duj- I can't answer your questions about the story itself, all will be revealed eventually, and I was hoping people would pick up on that, file that under my pathetic attempts at subtle foreshadowing. I don't have any of my books, I lent them to a friend, and I only have quick periods to get this up between studying for end of the year tests and other stuff to look up crap, so spelling is the LEAST of my worries right now, but thanks for letting me know, I'll change it A.S.A.P. Oh, and the Oil thing… well, I was baking for my mom's b-day and I was laughing about how my sister was mixing the oil and water first, being the little midgetish girl she is (She's my inspiration for Ria's weak moments… where she's an actual five year old, so you will get an idea of what she's like soon), and I realized how perfectly that would fit… so you can thank my Midget (that's become her name… heheh, I'm a bad big sister and no longer let her have her own name)._

_Lavender Halliwell- I never said it was about Ria. I said it was about 'Someone brilliant' and 'Someone named for a lost loved one'. I don't believe I ever used Ria's name for the prophey. She may seem brilliant, but does her name really reflect a lost loved one? Or does it? Hmmmm, maybe I'm getting better at foreshadowing. I must say, this may have been one of my more brilliant ideas. I don't think Victoria's a name of someone I've dropped off… unless anyone knows a Victoria in the HP books. _

_Disclaimer: _

_I don't own anything you see, and any weird names in here of potions or spells are things I made up. They mean nothing in Latin or French to my knowledge._

* * *

Mya would have laughed at the situation if it hadn't been so serious. Albus Dumbledore was hunched over her five-year-old daughter, trying to figure out why she was screaming. After screaming about her arm, Ginny owled Dumbledore, but Ria hadn't said anything else, just screamed. They had to put a silencing charm around the room to keep Hermione asleep, and the neighbors from calling the Aurors.

Finally, she screamed it again.

"Arm!" She screeched.

Dumbledore rolled up her sleeve and stepped back with a gasp.

Imprinted lightly on the tiny girl's arm, was a small dark mark.

The lines were gray with an eerie green glow on them. As soon as the air hit them, the glow went away and it faded to a light scar-like mark.

Ginny looked at Remus, concerned. Remus put his arm around Mya and looked to the Headmaster.

"Albus, what is it?" He asked.

"I'd like to run a few more tests… but not tonight. Ms. Epanss, may I have a word?"

Mya nodded dumbly, not taking her eyes off the little girl lying there, still screaming loudly.

"I'll take care of her, My. Talk to him." Ginny promised.

Mya turned to the door and fingered the ring on a chain around her neck.

Once the door was shut, Albus turned to her.

"This is the first time we've met in person, Miss Epanss. It's nice to meet you." He put slight emphases on a few words in the sentence and she took it as her ears hearing things.

"It's nice to meet you too, Professor."

"Please, call me Albus."

Mya nodded.

"Can you tell me what happened before I was owled?'

Mya sighed and sat down in a chair beside the door.

"I fell asleep… And when I woke up, I looked at Ria and she started screaming. She wouldn't stop. When she screamed about her arm, Ginny owled you."

"Are you aware of the fact that exactly five minutes before Ginny owled me, a Dark Revel was called?"

Mya, remembering her dream, shook her head in a negative response, "No, P-Albus."

"Well, how long before I was owled did she start screaming?"

"A minute, tops."

"Mmm. Miss Epanss, what did you dream about while you were asleep?"

_How did he know? _She thought, but replied, "I didn't."

"Hmmm. Well, if you can remember anything that you think may help, don't hesitate to owl or call at any time."

She nodded, then paused. "You have a Wizell?"

He chuckled and popped a Sherbet Lemon in his mouth. "One must keep up with the times, Miss Epanss."

She nodded in disbelief and turned away, about to go back in with her daughter.

"Miss Epanss?"

She turned to face him once more.

"You may need to contact Young Victoria's father soon. And follow your heart. It's all one has in times like these."

She nodded dumbly, at a loss for words and heard a crack as he disappeared.

* * *

"Albus, what was that all about?" Asked a Severus Snape as the headmaster walked in through his doors. He held up a hastily scribbled note, summoning the headmaster.

"It seems that a young girl may be connected to Voldemort as well."

"H-H- Miss Lupin?"

"No, this one is connected through a different type of tie."

"Let me guess, a scar."

"In a way."

"Oh, joy. Another Potter."

"No, she's connected to him more like yourself."

Snape's hand automatically went to his Dark Mark.

"You can't mean-"

"Oh, but I do."

"No- no, that's impossible. He doesn't mark anyone under 18… Fears they're too easy to crack."

"I never said he marked her."

"Oh."

"Now, I believe you came here for a reason?"

"Yes. He seems distant. He's completely emerged in this search for Miss Lupin."

"Voldemort?"

Snape winced at the name. "Yes, but I'd prefer _He _or _The Dark Lord _if you don't mind."

Dumbledore didn't give any mind to his cold pleas.

"What else did he say?"

"Malfoy and Baby Bella are being sent to get her."

Dumbledore nodded, "Of course."  
"Tomorrow night. Who is the Squib's Daughter?"

Dumbledore looked up sharply. "What?" He said almost as sharp.

"Voldemort cautioned them against a loud squib's daughter. Who is the squib?"

"Mya Epanss and her daughter Victoria. They're staying with the Lupins."

Snape nodded, obviously too preoccupied to put two and two together.

"How old is the child?"

"Five. Her mother just currently brought herself and Victoria out of hiding."

"Hiding?"

A dry laugh came from Albus' mouth, one that Snape had never heard from the Headmaster before.

"She's hiding from the child's father, in fear of a problem neither need right now."

"Who is the father?"

"I believe he's a muggle, but I'm not positive."

Snape nodded and stood up.

"If that's all Albus… Then I'd like to head off to bed."

"Yes, of course. Don't let me keep you up."

* * *

Mya stood in front of her still screaming daughter and looked at her arm. She traced the burning mark with her finger and nearly pulled back at the intense heat before she noticed how the cries calmed at her touch.

She placed her whole palm over the scar and she stopped completely.

"Ria! Ria can you hear me?" She pleaded, "Wake up baby. It's time to wake up. Oh, please wake up."

Eyes fluttered at her mother's monologue.

"Honey. Sweetie. It's time to get up. Don't you want to play outside?"

Another flutter.

"Victoria," she called in a sing-song voice, desperate and hopeful at the same time now.

"M-mommy?" a weak, hoarse voice asked.

"Ria!" Mya squealed in delight.

"Where am I?" Ria asked.

"You're at Aunt Ginny's house. How are you feeling?"

"Cold. And my arm hurts. Why does it hurt?"

"I don't know baby. Are you hungry?"

"A little?"

"I'll be right back. Stay here. If you need anything, just call, alright?"

Ria nodded sleepily.

Mya ran out of the room and into Ginny's and Remus's room. They sat on the edge of the bed, looking worried.

"She's awake. I'm going to pour her a bowl of cereal, okay?"

Ginny nodded.

_Albus-_

_She's awake. She woke up about 6 this morning, and doesn't remember a thing from last night. Her voice is raspy from screaming from 10 until 6, but besides that, she's fine. Write back,_

_Mya C. Epanss_

_P.S. What do you think happened?_

Dumbledore sighed at the letter. Miss Epanss seemed so genuinely worried about her daughter. How could he tell her how often this would happen?

* * *

Mya excused herself after breakfast and took a walk around the surrounding area. It was really beautiful around here. But she wasn't admiring the view.

What happened last night wasn't an accident. She knew that much. Something was going on. The dream still haunted her.

Had she really been a snake? Had she really been at the Revel?

No, the timing was off.

So she predicted the Revel?

No. She didn't believe in predictions.

Yet, what she heard couldn't be denied. The Lupin girl with a name of a Mudblood had to be protected.

They were after Hermione.

They had to be. How many missing Mudbloods close to Harry Potter were there? So the name Hermione had to be it. How many Hermione Lupin's are there?

One, that's how many.

So how were they going to protect Hermione?

The problem was, she didn't even know the whole story. Just what she had heard last night. That wasn't much.

Was that really a Dark Revel?

Her mind was swimming.

All she knew was that she needed a stiff drink and a place to pass out.

But she couldn't. She had to take care of Ria.

Ria.

Why did she have a Dark Mark? She hadn't been out of her sight in the past five years, so it couldn't have been placed in person.

It had to have been something with the dream.

She felt like screaming.

She should have stayed in hiding.

No, she realized. That would have made things worse. A lot worse. Ria needs to be out in the open. Somewhere where all that social personality could be used to make friends other then the mice that ran around in the cottage.

It was better to be here.

She thoughtlessly fingered the necklace around her neck, feeling the warmth of the gem spread through her whole body.

Of course, now that she was in this world again, a few problems arose again.

_He _was one of them.

Sure, he wasn't the whole reason she ran. But he was part of it. Not one could argue with that. He was a big part of it. Most of it, in fact.

Of course, the fact there was a Dark Lord out to kill people like her was a part of it too. And the sympathetic looks she would have received would play a part too.

But it was mostly _him. _Just… everything about him. His dark hair, his confining eyes, his protective attitude, it all added to his beauty. All her time away had told her something.

She loved him. A lot.

She had never been in love before. Especially not one that put her life in such danger. But he had handed that to her and taken it away.

And she was quite sure he had forgotten all about her. Sure, Remus said he hadn't. But she knew. He had. He had much more important things to do then think about her. Like save the wizarding world, for one.

His connection to Voldemort made nights a problem. Many nights and days, she would see him shake in fear, a fear he let no one else see. Only her.

She was one of the two people allowed to be close to him. He had lost too much. His mom, his dad, his godfather. That was just the beginning. He pushed, hard, but up until the final day, she had pushed her self back just as hard. Her wit matched his, her sarcasm the only one with the potency of his.

But he had still gotten rid of her once he got tired of her.

She knew she wasn't pretty.

And besides, any man try to tell her any different and she'd get scared. The last person to tell her how pretty she was, well, it was _Him. _Not _HIM, _but a different man. This man had called her a stupid girl, slapped her, the proceeded to do whatever he wanted with her. This man had called her nasty names about her powers, and had called her a know-it-all. He had kept her against her will. His eyes still haunted her. They could go from a calm gray to a dark, hating black in a matter of seconds, depending on his mood. They were hard, unfeeling, much like his heart. They were cold.

She hated him.

She had tried to get along with him, to be respectful, but it only ended in her being tortured. So she gave up and spit on him just as hard as he spit on her.

Then she got smacked even harder.

She hated her heritage. Why couldn't she have just been born a muggle? It would be so much easier for her. But no, she had to be so different from her parents, and leave their world for most of her life.

And then she returned.

She sighed and skipped a rock across the small pond she had come up upon.

The rock landed into the water with a satisfying _Splash._

She was sick of this. She wanted to clear her mind.

She would talk to Remus about a pensive later.

Now, she decided, it was time to take a quick swim to calm her nerves.

* * *

Ginny opened the door to the knock and let in a large group of people.

Standing before her was Ron, Harry, Albus, Snape, Draco, Neville, and nearly not fitting through the door was Hagrid.

"Hey Gin." Harry greeted warmly with a hug. She hugged back and pointed upstairs to the two unasked questions in his eyes. He rushed up the steps to go see his Goddaughter and friend.

Ron hugged his sister as well and followed Harry up the stairs. The rest of the group stood in an awkward silence before Dumbledore finally asked, "I suspect by the letter that young Victoria finally silenced?"

"Yes, around six. She's out in the yard."

"I'd like to speak with her."

Ginny nodded, then accepted the quick hug from her ex-headmaster as he hurried out to talk to the little five year old, and –knowing him- probably play in the dirt with her.

"Hey Nev." She said quickly, "Do you have any idea why you all are here?"

"Nope, none. Although I think Professor Snape might."

Ginny turned to him, as if seeing him for the first time.

"Well, Professor, any ideas?"

"I believe it has something to do with the prophecy. I'm under the impression your brother filled you in on the details."

"Not so much of the prophecy as of the fact Hermione is in danger and that she's to be led by Harry to defeat the Dark Lord with him?"

"Yes, well, if Potter manages to live that long."

"Can't you ever be optimistic, Professor?" She asked him.

"I believe I was." He said with a twitch to the corners of his mouth.

Ginny's jaw dropped. Did she just hear the Potions Master make a _joke_?

"Don't look so surprised, Mrs. Lupin. I am capable of having a soul, am I not?"

She nodded quickly, recovering, and led them into the kitchen.

Harry, Ron and Remus came down soon later, engaged in, of course, a conversation about Quitich.

"Of _course _the Firebolt 6 is better then the new StarBright. How could it _NOT _be?" Ron asked.

Ginny tuned out to continue cooking the potatoes.

* * *

After her swim, Mya felt a lot better. She was calm now, and ready to face anything.

She decided to head back, as she slid her shoes back on over her sopping socks.

She realized it might not have been her best idea ever to keep all her clothes on as she swam.

What she wouldn't have done for a drying spell right then.

She knew soon, she'd have to face him again. Soon, she'd have to face everyone again. But now was _not _the time nor place for that. Right now, she was going to go back to the house, eat dinner, spend time with Ria and decide all this later.

So she kept walking.

Then she remembered.

She'd have to go the to Ministry soon. She'd have to become a citizen again. She had to give them a strand of hair to analyze and program to her name. They had to create her a past.

She'd need a birth certificate for her and Ria, and people to play her parents. Americans, they could be, and no one would check. The American Wizards and the England ones were currently not on very good terms, as many of the Americans were in Iraq and couldn't come help against Voldemort.

They didn't realize the reason they were in Iraq was because of Voldemort.

* * *

"Ginny, where is Mya?" Remus asked.

"She went for a walk… She should be back soon." Ginny said absent mindedly, then her husband's implications hit her.

"Do you want me to go look for her?" Harry asked.

"N-no!" Ginny said too quickly for Harry, or anyone for that matter, to believe her. "I-I mean," she stuttered at Remus's look, "You've never met her… You wouldn't know what she looks like."

Harry seemed to almost accept that and sat down at the table while Ron started setting up the chessboard.

* * *

Victoria sat outside, squatted over a worm, poking it with a stick. The worm stuck its tongue out at her and she giggled in childish delight.

"I'm glad to hear you giggling, Ms. Epanss." Ria looked up at the man, squinting in the sun.

"You're tall." She commented.

He laughed a contagious laugh and Ria couldn't help but laugh along, even though she didn't know what he was laughing about.

"Yes, I suppose I am." He told her.

"What's your name?" She asked him.

"Albus. Albus Dumbledore." He said with a smile.

"All Bus?" She asked with a giggle.

He smiled, "How about you just call me Gramps, okay?"

She looked at him weirdly, but nodded.

She looked into his eyes, and he could feel her enter his mind.

"Who's that?" She asked, pausing on one memory.

"A girl from the school I teach at." He said, knowing which memory she saw.

"What's her name?"

"Hermione."

Ria's eyes widened. "I know a Hermione!" She squealed, before returning to her search of his mind.

He was surprised to find he couldn't stop her from searching every single memory she came across.

"Aunt Ginny!" she squeaked, "She's little!"

Albus smiled down at the girl, "Yes, she is little. And so are you. But now she's big, and one day, you will be too."

She shook her head, "I wanna stay little. I like being little. It's fun. I fit under the kitchen table still."

He laughed again, and she felt herself joining once again.

"I guess it would be hard for me to fit under a table anymore."

She smiled, revealing a mouth full of small teeth. Everything about her was so tiny.

"Gramps?"

"Yes?" he asked her.

"What's Hermione like? She's been in some of Mommy's dreams, so I wanted to know about her."

"Well, she was really smart and powerful in her day. But she's gone now."

"Gone where? Can we visit her? I'd be extra good, I promise!" she said, holding up her pinky.

"We can't visit her Ms. Epanss. She died."

He didn't expect the child to have a grasp of death, but she looked down at the ground, suddenly a lot sadder.

"Oh. How'd she die?"

"She was killed by bad men."

"Like the one in my dreams… Like the one with the red eyes?"

Albus found himself unable to lie or sugarcoat the story for the child. She didn't seem fragile, and the words were just spilling out of his mouth.

"Yes, just like him. Tell me about the man with the red eyes."

"I see him a lot. He gets mad real easy. Kinda like Mommy when I ask her about Daddy. She blames Aunt Ginny for mentioning him, but I've seen a dark-haired man in her dreams she thinks of as my 'daddy'. I like his eyes. They're pretty."

Albus nodded for her to go on.

"Anyway, he's mean. He says a 'C' word that hurts people. I don't like him much. He's killed lotsa people. I've seen it. He says a really long word, and green stuff makes them fall and their eyes roll like this," she rolled her eyes as far back as they would go. "He has fun doing it."

Albus sighed. "That's why we're trying to stop him."

"Is that why the Order people are here?"

He looked up sharply. "How do you know about the Order?" He asked her.

"The one that looks like Aunt Ginny, he thinks real loud. I was standing at the back door looking in when you guys came in. He was thinking something about 'Order Business'."

"You have a very good vocabulary for a five year old."

She nodded. "I hear lotsa of things that Mommy says I shouldn't. People think big words that I ask them about. Then I write them down. Sometimes I spell them wrong. But that's okay."

Albus nodded, trying to take in this new information. This was definitely not a regular five year old.

"Gramps, it's time for dinner."

"How did you know?"

She laughed. "The red boy's tummy is as loud as his head."

Albus laughed and held out his hand for her to take.

"Let's eat, Ms. Epanss."

"Don't call me Paness. It's my mommy."

"Okay, what should I call you?"

She smiled, "I'm Ria."

"Hello Ria." He shook her hand with a pretend air of importance.

She giggled again.

* * *

Ron and Draco were in a heated debate over Hermione's prophecy when Albus and Ria entered the room.

"I'm just saying! A Mahigana Charm might not be the best choice. Anyone who's skilled in the art of scrambling their thoughts could get in!" Ron insisted, his ears red.

"But a Simanence Hex hasn't been tested by the Ministry." Draco told him hotly.

"Oh, and I'm sure you always follow Ministry regulations Malfoy."

"Stop!" a voice demanded, but it wasn't Albus's regal one, nor Severus's icy one. It wasn't even Ginny's annoyed one. It was a child's voice. Full of innocence. Surprised, everyone turned silent and turned towards the source.

"Okie dokie, can we eat now, Aunt Ginny?"

"W-wait, _AUNT _Ginny?"

"Oh, honestly Ronald, remember my friend Mya I mentioned a couple times? Well, this is her daughter, Victoria Epanss."

"It's Ria Aunt Ginny, remember?"

Ginny smiled, "Of course. Ria."

"But Myawasn't much olderthen I am. How does she have a child?"

"You could have one too if you weren't so busy with your Quitich all the time." Ginny told him calmly.

"B-but, how old is Victoria?"

"Ria!" Ria told him hotly.

He paid her no mind.

"She's five, Ron, and you can ask _Ria _for yourself you know. She can talk."

Ron's ears reddened again, and he didn't say a word for a while.

Harry, however, seemed to be attracted toward the girl like a magnet.

"Hi Ria." He said.

She smiled up at him.

"You're tall too. Everyone's so tall."

He smiled and nodded. "I guess we are, compared to you."

She giggled.

"What's your name?" She asked him with a serious look on her face that made it hard for him not to burst out laughing.

"Harry."

She laughed. "I have hair too. Is that why that's your name?"

He shook his head. "I don't know why I was named that."

She nodded her head at him. "You should ask. It's important to ask things like that. Cause other wise, you'll never know. I like to know things. I read a lot of Mommy's books. But SHHHH, she doesn't know that. Don't tell her. They're all about magic."

Harry looked at her, "What about magic?"

"Like about the man with red eyes. His name's really long, so I just call him Voldy. It sounds like Moldy, and that's what I think he is. That's why he's so mean and grumpy. He can't get the mold off of him."

Harry snorted. Facing Voldemort would never be quite the same again.

"He's really bad. He likes to kill and I think that's wrong. I cried once cause I killed a bee. Bees are pretty. Did you know that? I had a pet bee once. Mommy made me set him free. I miss him. His name was Snappy. That kinda sounds like something I've heard in one of Mommy's dreams, but I can't remember the word. It wasn't Snap, but almost. I like the word Snap though, cause its Pans backward. I like things that are cool backwards."

"You talk a lot, did you know that?"

"Mommy tells me that, but I say I talk enough cause she doesn't talk much. She's scared of saying something that will make her cry. I heard her think that once. But if it would make her cry if she said it, why doesn't it make her cry when she thinks it?"

Harry shrugged. He was lost. This didn't sound like a five year old girl.

"You've met the red eyes? What's he like when you meet him in person?"

Harry shrugged again, "I guess it's just like when you meet him in your dreams. He's not nice."

"Well, I knew that. But what I meant is, is his voice really that high? He sounds like a girl." She giggled again.

No, if everyone met this girl, the name Voldemort would definitely hold new meanings.

She looked over at Draco.

"Oh! I like your hair!" She told him. "I don't like mine. It's too dark. It looks like night. I don't wanna look like night."

Draco looked confused at suddenly being addressed.

"Thanks. Your hair is really pretty too."

"It's big. Mommy calls it 'bushy' and 'frizzy' but I don't know why. It's not a bush. Bushes have leaves. My hair doesn't have leaves. I don't know what a friz is, but I don't think it's my hair either."

"It's lively."

She cocked her head to the side. "What's that word mean?"

"Full of life." He told her.

"Oh! Let me go get my notebook! It's got lotsa big words in it."

She then ran upstairs to her room and shut the door loudly.

Once she was gone, Ginny burst out laughing.

"Merlin, she hasn't spoken that much since she was three."

Albus smiled, "I don't think she's used to seeing people. I think that may have a lot to do with it."

"Here it is!" She yelled, running down the steps. She got onto the hardwood finish of the floor and slipped, falling on her butt. She laughed.

"Mommy always tells me not to run!" She giggled.

She opened the notebook and read the first page. "'Daddy- guy that is related to me almost like mommy is.' Aunt Ginny, I still want a better definition for that. 'Symmetrical- the same on both sides of a dividing line.'"

She stopped talking when she saw what Aunt Ginny was carrying in.

"A cake! Is it a birthday cake? For my birthday?"

Ginny nodded.

"Yes! I love cake! Is it strawberry? I love strawberry."

"Of course, snicker doodle. I'm the one who first gave you strawberry cake, remember?"

Ria nodded and jumped up and down, excited.

Then her excitement deflated and her eyes turned to Snape, who she finally saw, or more, well, noticed and she hid behind Albus's legs.

"Ria, what's wrong?" Aunt Ginny asked her.

Albus turned around and picked the girl up, "What happened?"

"H-he was with Voldy last night!" She whispered in his ear. "Gramps, he's one of those bad men."

"No, Ria, he's a good man pretending to be a bad man. He's telling Voldy that he's bad, so he can get information. He's a good man."

Ria buried her head into Albus's shoulder.

"Ria, how do you know he was there last night?"

"His thoughts. The voice he thinks his thoughts in is the same."

Albus looked toward Snape.

'She can read your thoughts' he mouthed.

Snape's eyes widened. _But how? _He thought.

She turned her head around to face him.

"I can read Mommy's and Gramps' and everyone else in here. I can read Hermione's and Voldy's too. Voldy's is hard to understand though. And Hermione's is just a whole bunch of cooing noises and colors and feelings. It's not fun."

"What do you hear in Voldy's, Ria?" Albus asked her calmly.

"This word. I hear it a lot. It's a mixed up word, and it's kinda like the mud I play with outside, only not. It has another word on it. It begins with a b… Bud… No, Blood. Why would he say someone has mud in their blood? That wouldn't be clean. Besides, your kidneys clean it anyway, so why should he care if someone has mud in their blood?"

"You mean Mudblood?" Albus asked, obvious distain hidden behind the word.

Ria nodded. "He wants to kill them. He's mad a lot."

"Why, Ria?"

"Because of a lightning bolt boy. He stops him. And his Red friend. And the Muddy girl. He doesn't like them. The Muddy girl is gone like that Hermione though. He killed her. I heard him think it. He's happy about that."

Everyone in the room, all of which knew Hermione Granger, lowered their eyes.

"He also doesn't like you, Gramps. He say's 'All Bus is an old fool' and stuff like that. I don't know why though. You're not old. You're hair is a pretty color, like the pony-doll I have."

"Thank you, Ria."

"Don't worry, I like you."

Mya silently opened the door and closed it the same way. She slowly walked to the kitchen, and saw all the people there. Everyone she wanted to avoid. _He _was in there!

She gestured wildly, trying to catch Ginny's eye. They were all looking at Ria in Dumbledore's arms.

Suddenly, a head turned around to look at her, but it wasn't Ginny's.

Draco's eyes widened, and he almost gasped. Then, seeing her urgency, held back a chuckle, and turned to Ginny.

"Mrs. Lupin? Um, I think Hermione might want you."

Ginny looked confused, obviously listening for crying, before turning to the door and seeing Mya standing there. She hurried out and pulled Mya into a closet. She turned on the light and looked at Mya.

"God, My. You could have been seen."

"I was. Draco knows."

Ginny sighed. "Of course Draco knows."

"Is that so necessarily bad?"

"No, but now you have a lot of explaining to do."

Mya nodded. "Don't I always?"

"Now, for your new look… How about a blond?"

"Sure, just get it over with."

Ginny waved her wand and Mya's hair shortened and lightened, to the point she was a sandy blond with straight, silky hair. She grew about three inches and she lost about ten pounds. All in all, she looked really good.

"Now, come on, before Ria talks anymore."

Mya laughed, she knew how much her daughter could talk.

"Guys, this is my friend Mya Epanss. Mya, this is Harry Potter. Ron Weasley, my brother (unfortunately). Hagrid, he works at Hogwarts, and he is the Care of Magical Creatures Professor. Albus, who you've met. Neville Longbottom, he works for the Ministry. Draco Malfoy, he's to rich to do squat besides order me around as a healer. And Professor Snape, who despite the fact I'm not his student anymore, I am still not worthy to call by his first name, nor even know it, according to him until the day after I die, which, if he has his way, will be soon."

Mya nodded at everyone, eyes skipping over _him_. "Pleasure, everyone. I'm sorry I'm late. I took a walk."

"And a swim?" Harry had to ask.

"Huh?" Mya asked.

"Well, your clothes are wet, so I thought…" He trailed off.

"Yes, well, while she was checking up on Hermione, Ginny was nice enough to do my hair, but she _forgot my clothes_."

"Sorry." Ginny said and dried Mya's clothes.

"Can't you do your own clothes?" Colin asked.

"I'm a squib… I can't do magic."

Neville nodded sympathetically at the life everyone thought he was doomed too.

"Well, let's eat!" Ginny said enthusiastically.

After Ginny had passed everything out, Snape decided to talk.

"Miss Weasley-"

"Mrs. Lupin." She corrected sternly.

"Mrs. Lupin," he agreed, "We're here to put a protective charm around Hermione so that the Dark Lord can't get to her tonight as he's planned."

Mya looked up, "What type of charm?"

"Well, we haven't decided yet, so…." He trailed off.

"Have you thought of a Combinus Potion?" She asked him.

His eyes widened and she could tell he hadn't. "Of course that would work. But we'd need four people to volunteer to watch the room and put a drop of blood in the potion to protect her… and only the four with blood in there could protect her… but it's one of the most fool proof potions."

"I'll donate blood for it, Professor." Mya said.

"You can't do magic."

"Just because I can't do magic doesn't mean I'm not pretty damn skilled with a gun. And Remus can't do it because the people have to be pure human. That leaves Hagrid out as well. Dumbledore can't because the potion takes so much life force out of you for an amount of time and he would very well die. Ginny can't because she's directly related to the protectee, and that would leave Remus out already. Draco's out, due to his father's Death Eater status, he'd be allowed in. Ron's related as well. I believe I've just disproved all but three of you… unless you want to go call someone else in… I'm sure that you could find a nice muggle to steal blood from."

Harry looked confused.

"Wait, what?"

"Okay, this potion that we may use. It uses the blood of four to protect someone. Only those who have that blood can get in or out. That's why you can't use the directly related people. The protected one could get out that way. But that's the flaw. People related or people that have the some of the same DNA can get in. But only those four can use magic in the territory or else all their magic is temporarily drained. Ginny and Ron are related, so they can't. Draco's father would be able to get in if we used him. Only full humans can be used, so Remus, and Hagrid can't be used. Albus would die if we used him. All that's left is myself, Professor Snape, Harry and Neville."

She could read the looks at her, and she rolled her eyes. "Ria's right, you guys think too loud. God, I could pick into your heads with a plastic key."

Everyone went back to their food, thinking.

But there was no way to get out of it. Mya had to be used.

_There! TWENTY PAGES! I enjoyed writing that chapter, so haha!_

_I know, Ria talked a lot, but I needed to show her personality, and if you look closely, there may be more then meets the eye to Ria._

_Next chapter… Mya and Snape fight, and you hear more about Ria's daddy! _

_Grins _


	4. Fights and Hurts

_Bonjour!  
This Chapy is a bit shorter then the last, but my muse and I aren't getting along at the moment, so I need to find another one. Or tie this one to a chair._

_This story is moving along slower then I had planned. This was going to be a ten chapter story, but guess what! It's not. I still have to skip ahead into Ria's Hogwarts years and judging by the movement of her before years (which was supposed to be two chapters, tops) that's going to take a whole bunch of chapters. So you guys are stuck with me for a while. But I'll try to make it painless as possible, with as few cliffies as I feel you guys deserve. **Grins**_

_Groar, it's early in the morning as I type this, and well, I'm not feeling good. Soccer is taking a lot out of me, and well, ya know. _

_Disclaimer: Still waiting for a package including my rights to these lovely and sexay characters. Still nothing. But I promised to put them back the way I found them, so I get to borrow them. But they're NOT mine._

_Sighs._

_I realized I wasn't very clear with the last chapter in saying I'd like at least seven reviews, and I now have seven reviews, total. I want five MORE for this chappy, please!_

_Moi!_

* * *

Victoria Epanss was confused, to say the least. Aunt Ginny wouldn't lie, but this lady was not her mommy. Her mommy didn't have yellow hair. She also was shorter. Her mommy was softer, like a Teddy Bear. This lady looked like the people in Aunt Ginny's magazines.

This was not her mommy.

But why would someone pretend to be her mommy? And why would Aunt Ginny go along with it?

She didn't know, but she was sure she wanted to find out.

Ria thought back to what she had just told everyone. She hadn't even told Mommy about Voldy, so why should she tell Gramps and Harry and Red Man, and the Dark Eye'd man? And what about the big man? He hadn't said anything; he had just stared at her. Why?

She sighed on the inside and sat back in her chair a bit, to listen to the grownups talk a bit.

"Okay, this potion that we may use. It uses the blood of four to protect someone. Only those who have that blood can get in or out. That's why you can't use the directly related people. The protected one could get out that way. But that's the flaw. People related or people that have the some of the same DNA can get in. But only those four can use magic in the territory or else all their magic is temporarily drained. Ginny and Ron are related, so they can't. Draco's father would be able to get in if we used him. Only full humans can be used, so Remus and Hagrid can't be used. Albus would die if we used him. All that's left is myself, Professor Snape, Harry and Neville." Mommy said.

Ria looked up at her mother.

She couldn't ask, could she?

She wouldn't.

She pondered it for a while.

_Wouldn't I work? _She wondered _I've heard a very little about the potion, but I'm guessing that we can't use certain people because they share blood with bad people. I only share blood with Mommy, and she's not a bad person. Wouldn't I work?_

But she couldn't ask. The Dark Eye'd man didn't like her already.

She was scared of him and he didn't like her.

She felt herself drift off, and tried to keep her eyes open, but it didn't work.

* * *

"_Wormtail, come here!" A lady-like yet male voice barked._

"_Y-yes Master?" A shaking figure asked._

_The taller, thinner figure was over a cauldron stirring slowly. His eyes were almost hidden by the cloud of steam rising up from the potion. Almost, but not quite._

"_Bring me the traitor!" he demanded._

_The smaller, rounder figure was shaking like mad now, but none the less, grabbed the terrified man off the table he was currently cursed too. _

_The man was short with long auburn hair. He had the appearance of someone who had just lost a good hundred pounds in the matter of weeks. Skin hung from him everywhere._

"_M-master, p-p-please no!" He cried as Wormtail thrust him forward. He fell to his knees, his whole body crumpled forward._

"_Why, Evans? Why would you go back to him? To the old fool?"_

"_H-he made m-me!" Evans sobbed into the man's cloak._

"_The old fool is too weak to make anyone do anything! He does not thirst for power, only justice! How would you returning to him serve him justice?" The tall man bellowed._

"_M-master, I did not wish to return. But a dark-haired man threatened me!"_

"_You know better then to listen to anything Potter says! He has not the courage to kill! All the Gryffindors are the same! They're too loyal to everything to kill at all. Why, it's amazing that they can throw away a piece of ruined parchment without thinking of all the good times they shared with it!"_

"_T-that was Potter? I did not recognize him!"_

"_Not recognize Potter? How could someone not recognize Harry Potter? The boy who lived? The boy who lived to be killed! Tell me, Evans, did you really think you'd be able to fool Lord Voldemort?"_

"_N-no M-master!" The man stuttered._

"_Then why not just come back and confess to me your sins? Tell me of your betrayal? Why continue? Why Evans!" He bellowed._

"_I-I was h-hoping to get information out of the old fool!"_

"_We already have an inside information source! You were best served as a lowly Death Eater, hoping to raising up through the ranks until your sorry butt finally dies in midst of battle."_

"_F-forgive me M-master, I had my doubts about our information s-source!" _

"_Doubts are not to be followed unless brought to me first!" _

"_S-sorry M-master, but I wanted to have evidence before I told you!"_

"_And did you find this evidence?"_

"_N-no! I-"_

"_SILENCE!" _

_The man fell silent, scared to death of this man. Ria could hear the man's heart beat wildly. His eyes were darting all around, hoping for an escape. _

"_Listen to me Evans, and listen well, for this voice _WILL _be the last voice you hear. Now, in this circle, there are two uses for people. One is a spy, and one is a fighter. You were a fighter. I do not need incompetent people as my spies!"_

"_I-I apologize, M-Master!"_

"_Apologies get you no where Evans!"_

"_Y-yes M-master! H-how may I prove myself to y-you?"_

"_You cannot. Your only use now is to be used in a potion. One to revive my strength."_

"_I-it will h-help M-master?" He asked_

"_Yes! That is why you are going to die Evans. To renew the master you betrayed."_

"_M-master, please! I am loyal! I am your servant."_

"_And serve me you shall. In this potion. This is an honor Evans! How dare you refuse this honor to help your master!"_

"_M-master, n-no! l-I have a family!"_

"_Who, unless you shut up, will be killed as well."_

"_M-master! I surrender. But do you not want to hear what I've discovered first?"_

"_No Evans! I will know all I need to know from my _faithful _spy."_

"_B-but M-master-"_

"_Wormtail, prepare the traitor."_

_But Ria could read his mind, and knew all he did. It was not good._

* * *

"_No! Don't kill him! No! Stop! Don't kill anymore! Voldy, Stop!" Ria tried to scream, but all that came out were hissing noises. _Her head violently jerked up, her breath came in a loud gasp and her eyes flew open to see everyone looking at her.

"Ria, what happened?" Gramps asked her.

"N-nothing Gramps." She said, trying to force the stutter away from her voice. She had the sudden urge to grab her arm and howl at the pain that passed through it, but refused that urge.

"Are you alright?" Mommy asked.

Ria nodded quickly and hurried out of the room.

She held back tears as she ran up the steps and flew on to the bed. She now knew why they were talking about that potion.

They wanted Hermione.

Ria knew she had to protect Hermione for all her life was worth. She had heard the prophecy in the Red Man's head, and then again in Evans.

She hated to see Voldy. He was mean, and he liked to kill too much. She hated him.

She had to stop him.

Silently, she crept out of her room and into Hermione's.

* * *

Ginny looked quite shocked at what little she had understood of Ria's outburst. They all looked expectantly to Harry.

"What did she say?" Albus finally asked.

Harry sat still for a moment and told them, "'_No! Don't kill him! No! Stop! Don't kill anymore! Voldy, Stop!'_"

Mya choked. "So she saw _him_?"

Harry shrugged. "I guess."

Ron looked at each face before speaking, "Wait, you said she _did _speak Parsletongue?"

Harry nodded.

"But, isn't it hereditary?"

Albus nodded, "Passed down to the heir of Slytherin. Although, there are _other _ways to get it." He said, looking at Harry.

"But, she hasn't had any physical run ins with You-Know-Who, has she?" Ron asked Mya, looking at her expectantly.

"No, not physical. Although I guess she has had a few mental ones."

Albus nodded, "She has heard more then any five year old should have to."

Finally, Hagrid spoke.

"Am I the on'y one who thought she look'd a bit famillir?"

* * *

Ria looked up at the baby through the thick smoke. She quickly made the smoke see through, and scentless so that no one would think twice about it surrounding the baby.

"Hermione. Shhhh." She said as the little mouth opened and a cry was about to pierce the air.

"Silenco!" she whispered. Then she put a quick spell on her to let her talk to Hermione.

The baby's mouth was wide open, but nothing could be heard.

"Listen… I know you can hear me, so don't even pretend you can't."

The baby instantly closed her mouth.

"Now, if anything is going to happen, I need you to cry. The second you see someone that you get a strange vibe from, let me know. I'll come in and help."

Then she left, before Hermione even had time to respond.

* * *

The group ignored Hagrid's question and continued their conversation on her dreams.

"Should she be taught to block these dreams?" Draco asked.

Albus shook his head, "From what I can tell, she can read anyone's mind. She got through my own block, Severus's block and even Voldemort's block. Who's to say she can turn it off? Magic is not it's average potency for her, it's turned up by about 10. She's strong, but young. It's dangerous to try to teach a five year old magic."

Mya looked upset. "So, what? We're just going to let her have these dreams? We're just going to let her innocence be torn from her?"

"Innocence in war is a rare thing. If we worried about saving everyone's innocence, we might as well toss our wands in and run in front of the Dark Lord." Professor Snape sneered

"Professor, I don't know you very well, but let me guess, the stick up your ass isn't removable?"

"Ms. Epanss, I don't appreciate being spoken to like that."

"Well, good for you! Yipedee! I don't particularly care! You're sitting there telling me I have to watch my daughter slowly lose any chance of every being happy just because it's dangerous to teach her magic. Isn't it dangerous to see what she's seen?"

"She probably has a better idea of what this war is about then you do! She probably can take it more seriously, since she's seen more then you have."

"Do _not _tell me what I have and have not seen _Professor_. I have seen more then you may ever know I have, and I _will _have you know that I have a firm grasp on what this war means. I'm part of it, am I not?"

"No. This war is between Potter and the Dark Lord."

"So if I die, that a death of circumstance. She just _HAPPENED _to be there fighting too. No big."

"You can't keep casualties at bay, Ms. Epanss, we're at war."

"That's what you keep saying. 'We're at war.' For some reason, I get the vibe you're a lonely old man who wouldn't know love if it bit you in the ass. That girl, up there, she's all I have."

"That's more then some of us have."

"That's your own problem, now isn't it. It's not my fault you're- Never mind. You'd feel differently if it was your own child, Professor."

"Luckily for me, my position in this war is not hindered by any child."

"Lucky for you then." She said and refused to look him in the eyes anymore.

"Listen!" Albus was fed up with the bickering. "I'm _sure _Professor Snape would be more then happy to brew some Dreamless Sleep potion for Ria. Can we please get back to the dream, what may have happened in it, and not what our views on this war are?"

"May I please ask one more thing, before we go on to another subject?" Mya asked.

Albus nodded.

"What should I do, protection measure wise, for Ria?"

"The potion will help a lot. Is her father up to taking her?"

Mya looked down to the table, and she could hear Ginny try not to say anything behind her.

"Her father doesn't know."

Harry looked at her. "You've kept a child from its father for five years?"

"He doesn't want me. What makes you think he'll want her?"

"Maybe he'd like to know what his blood is flowing through." He reasoned.

"I assure you, he doesn't care. He's too absorbed in his own affairs to look."

"Does she know who he is?" Harry asked.

"No, and I'd like to keep it that way. He caused me nothing but pain, and I have not doubt he'll do the same for her."

"Has he ever met her?"

"Once. But he didn't know she was his. He didn't recognize me, and I'm sure that's the best way to keep it."

"I don't know the father, nor the circumstance, but I think it'd be best if you looked for him to at least let him know she exists."

"I've written him a letter. Whether or not he's found it is none of my business."

"How can you say it's none of his business? It's his child."

"By blood. But can you truly say he's done his part to find us?"

"Maybe if he knew about her…"

"He'd consider her an obstacle. He's very wrapped up in his own affairs. Sure the fate of the world sits on his shoulders. I tried to help." She gave a dry laugh, "He made me leave. To _protect _me. From what? Getting crushed by my own insecurities? He didn't do much to help me there."

"Who is the father?"

"No one." And she muttered something that sounded quite to Albus like 'look closely and guess.'

Albus cleared his throat.

"Now, about the potion."

Ria heard every word.

She had started to come down the steps to ask about Hermione's mark on her shoulder when she heard "'No, and I'd like to keep it that way. He caused me nothing but pain, and I have not doubt he'll do the same for her.'"

She paused to hear who they were talking about.

"Has he ever met her?"

Who ever met who?

"Once. But he didn't know she was his. He didn't recognize me, and I'm sure that's the best way to keep it."

Whowas who's? Can people belong to others?

"I don't know the father, nor the circumstance, but I think it'd be best if you looked for him to at least let him know she exists."

Father. It hit her. They were talking about _her_.

"I've written him a letter. Whether or not he's found it is none of my business."

So she _had _tried to contact her father. Ria was curious as to whether or not he ever found the letter.

"How can you say it's none of his business? It's his child."

Ria agreed. It was Mommy's business. Even more, it was Ria's business.

"By blood. But can you truly say he's done his part to find us?"

_If he doesn't know about me, _Ria thought, _Then how can he look for me?_

"Maybe if he knew about her…"

Her thoughts had been voiced.

"He'd consider her an obstacle. He's very wrapped up in his own affairs. Sure the fate of the world sits on his shoulders. I tried to help." She gave a dry laugh, "He made me leave. To _protect _me. From what? Getting crushed by my own insecurities? He didn't do much to help me there."

So Mommy hadn't walked out. He made her leave. Mommy was insecure? That was news to Ria. Mommy was very confident.

"Who is the father?"

_Good question._

"No one."

Didn't _someone _have to be her father?

Then Ria heard something muttered.

"Look closely and guess."

Harry was her father?

"What about the potion, Albus? _Professor _Snape will brew it, Harry, Neville, _Professor _and I will put our blood in, and then we have to put some on the crib and get Hermione to drink some."

"You certainly know a lot about this potion, Ms. Epanss."

"Well _Professor,_ I read a lot."

"The thirst for knowledge sometimes takes those down a wrong path."

"And I'm sure you know this from first hand experience. Great potatoes, Gin."

"You seem to enjoy putting me down, Ms. Epanss. May I enquire why?"

"You may, but you may not get an answer."

"Maybe I want an answer."

"And I want a pony, but I don't have one, now do I?"

"I always get what, Ms. Epanss."

"Could you teach me that trick? I've never been able to get Ria's father's head out of his ass long enough to listen to me, and I'd really like to take him off his high horse some times." 

"So you _have _spoken to him."

"A bit. But I haven't told him anything about Ria, so don't get your hopes up with getting rid of her anytime soon. She'll be with me for a while."

Albus put his hand up to end the bickering.

"I believe we have an over hearer."

Mya's eyes widened.

"Come on down, Baby!" she yelled.

Ria walked slowly down the steps.

"You didn't tell Daddy about me yet? Your pinky promised!"

"I know honey, but I don't want you to get hurt."

"No Daddy hurts too!" she yelled.

The lights flickered slightly. The doors flew open. Ria's eyes widened and she took a deep breath and calmed down. Everything stopped. She ran upstairs.

_

* * *

I don't like this chapter, but it had to happen. There had to be a conflict between Sev and My. It just had to happen. And I had to establish the fact the Ria's powerful and that she can't control it once she gets mad._

_Remember that._

_Review please!_

_Moi! (French Kissy)_


	5. Pensive and Kisses

_Hola! Groar, I'm tired, it's late, and so that's my excuse for this chapter._

_I'm starting a Mini-series in the A/N's because I'm strange like that. It's called 'Why it's a good idea that my parents don't let me get my own place'. I'm talking besides the obvious lack of job. I have very little common sense, so that's what this is centered around._

_Why It's a Good Idea that My Parents Don't Let Me Get My Own Place-_

_Reason 1_

_The old cake soup._

_Okay, for my mom's b-day, I was a little short on cash, so I made her a cake. Weirdest combination, Cinnamon Swirl cake with Chocolate and Strawberry icings, but hey, I was PMSing at the time, so forgive me for it._

_Well, it was so pretty, but no one would eat it, due to the strange combination. So it sat in our fridge forever. And ever. And ever. Well, about a month ago, my mother finally told me to throw it away. I got all huffy about it, saying I had worked to hard for it to go to waste, so I left it in there, and went on my merry way._

_So it continued to sit._

_Well, last night, I got tired of it, so I decided to throw it away. But it wouldn't come out. It was so stale that I couldn't even get out of the pan, or even get a sharp knife into the damned thing._

_Thus, I got a not-very-brilliant plan. I covered the entire thing with soap. It was the lemony kind and it smelt really pretty. Well, I then poured a whole bunch of water on top of it and poked it a whole bunch. Then, I let it sit for a night. When I came back to it, it was like sludge. It wouldn't move very well, so I added more water._

_I came back the next day, and it was soupy. So I, being the creature of intelligence that I am, poured the entire mess into my toilet. The toilet gurgled at me. I gurgled back. (My midget walked in and promptly walked back out upon hearing me gurgle at the toilet.) It, thankfully, didn't get backed up, but I now use the upstairs bathroom in fear I will get old cake soup spit back at me._

_See, I am so totally ready for a place of my own._

_DO NOT ATTEMPT THIS AT HOME! I AM A PROFESSIONALLY TRAINED IDIOT, AND THIS STUNT IS NOT TO BE REPEATED WITHOUT A TRAINED IDIOT ON THE SCENE!_

_Heh heh._

_Oh, fine. Here's the chapter._

_Disclaimer: Hold up, lemme check under the Kissymess tree. Nope, still not mine. But I'll keep waiting._

_Oh, just one more thing. I'm not sure if I made this clear, but there is two kids in this story right now. Victoria Epanss and Hermione Lupin. Victoria is Mya's daughter, and her nickname is Ria. Hermione is Remus and Ginny's daughter. If you're disturbed by this pairing, well, I guess you're just screwed, since you're in a Hermione/Snape story, which is just as bad._

_So, well, here it is!_

* * *

Harry looked to Albus.

"Professor… what just happened?"

"I believe we just got a taste of what Ria is capable of." Albus answered, looking toward the five-year-olds breakaway path.

After a moment's hesitation, Mya followed her daughter up the steps, a look of worry evident on her face.

"Prafesser, isn't she too young ta be doin magic?" Hagrid asked him.

"Just a bit, yes. Tapping into the mind is one thing. Wandless magic is another entirely." Dumbledore admitted.

"Professor, isn't Mya a squib?" Harry asked.

"To my knowledge, yes. Why do you ask?"

"Well, then her father can't be a muggle, can he?"

"Why would you think that Harry?"

"Well, I doubt that Ria could be like that if she was born to genes like a muggle born."

"Never doubt Harry. You haven't forgotten Hermione already, have you?"

Harry bowed his head in shame. "Of course not Professor. It's just, not even Hermione could do magic at five."

"None of us know that for sure."

"I've spoken to her parents, Professor. She didn't even show any powers until four months before her letter showed up."

"Harry, parents, although they try to pretend they do, are no where near knowing anything."

Mya sat on the edge of her sobbing daughter's bed, waiting for Ria to initiate conversation.

"Mommy, why haven't you told him?"

"Ria, it's selfish reasons. He hurt me deeply. To the point I didn't want to live anymore. I finally got over that. I don't want to go back."

"But maybe if you guys met, you'd get better and-"

"No Ria," Mya corrected gently. "It's not going to happen. He's not the man I fell in love with."

"What's it like to be in love?"

"Ria, is it really the time for this conversation?"

"Is there any time for a conversation such as this?" a voice from the doorway asked.

Mya looked up to see Draco.

"Hey, Draco." She said calmly, almost as if she was expecting him.

"Hello, Mya. Hi, Ria." He said politely to the little girl lying on the bed.

"Hello, Mister Draco." She said shyly.

"Don't be shy now. Not after you told me how much you like my hair." Draco teased.

"She always gets like this after a surge of magic. It tires her out to the point of being almost respectful."

Draco gave Ria a big smile. "She's respectful enough for her age. When I was that age…. Well, we just won't go there."

"Mister Draco?" Ria asked.

"Yes Ria?"

"Do you know who my Daddy is?"

Mya laughed.

"Don't ask someone else like I'm not in the room, Miss Victoria Epanss."

"Sorry Mommy."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"Not right now."

"I'll be back later."

"Okay."

Mya shut the door quietly after her and Draco were both out of the room.

"I believe, Miss Mya, we have something we need to discuss."

* * *

"Professor Snape, did you really have to prod her like that?" Ginny asked Snape.

"I was simply telling her how life works when there's a war going on."

"You didn't know Mya after Ria's father ended their relationship. It was horrible. She thought about suicide at least a thousand times. The only think keeping her alive was that little midget up there."

"Do you really think she would have gone along with it?"

"Sometimes, I fear it more then You-Know-Who himself."

"Mrs. Lupin, why was she so edgy about losing Victoria?"

"Wouldn't you be? Ria's all My has. You remember, that day about five years ago? You were tormenting some girl about being out of school, and she asked you why, if she were skipping, would she be at Wall-Mart? That was Mya. Remember the baby I came over with? That was Ria. Two months old, she was. Tiny little thing. She was two pounds, three ounces when she was born. Didn't grow much during the first few months. Mya was afraid she was going to die. All the muggle doctors I took her to said she wasn't big enough. Wanted to keep her in the hospital. Mya was scared, so she had me do all these enchantments on her. Enchantments to keep her heart beating, lungs working. Wouldn't work against any Unforgivables, mind you, but I must say, they were pretty damn good for a sixth year."

"She needs to know, if she's so insistent on helping, that the ones she loves are going to be put in danger."

"She knows. She just doesn't push away, Professor."

"What do you know?" He asked her.

"Enough."

"How?"

"She wrote me a note… before she died. Draco brought it to me. Told me everything."

"What did it say?"

XxXxXx Flashback xXxXxX

Ginny,

If you're reading this, Draco kept his word to me. He told me he'd give this to you after I died.

That also means I'm dead.

Ginny, is protection really worth it? Didn't he realize the target I already had on my head? I already had so many marks against me.

I'm a Muggle born.

I'm close to The Boy Who Lived

I'm at the top of my class.

I'm a threat to the 'Perfection Society'

I'm not your typical MudBlood

I refused to be scared of him

I could have taken care of myself, Gin. I would have managed. But he didn't give me that chance.

Take care of Harry, Ron, and Neville. Make sure he passes Potions, even without me telling him what to do. That's my last wish to you Gin-Jam.

Make him pass Potions.

As I write this, I'm squinting into the diminishing light from the room beside the dungeon. It's cold in here, and the only light source is the room next to me. The only one who visits me on a positive note is Draco. The rest don't care about me, they only want to use me.

Draco's the only friend of mine that knows I'm alive. And I've made him promise not to tell anyone until I'm dead. I've given up hope on getting out. It's just not going to happen.

Ginny, you're like the sister I never had. I can't tell you everything with out getting all sappy, but let's just say that you're my best friend, no doubt about it.

It's strange, the thoughts you think when you're going to die.

I don't know when you'll get this, but I love you and tell Harry to be damn careful. I have to go, I have two other notes to write.

Love ya,

Hermione Jane Granger

_Remerging Into Society is the Hardest ThingI Ever HadToDo-_

_Author Unknown_

XxXxXx End Flashback xXxXxX

"And she died…."

"According to Draco, she wrote two other notes, and died not an hour after they were all done."

"Who…."

"Draco wouldn't tell me, only that they were delivered. His father was not happy though. Draco was pissed that she made him promise under a Wizard's Oath not to tell anyone, and he blew the cell up after her death. The body was never found."

"How could he tell you that?"

"After she died, the Wizard's Oath was lifted, and he could tell anyone anything. Although he doesn't."

"How…"

"Starvation… exhaustion… blood loss. She was abused Professor."

He massaged the bridge of his nose. "Damn it!" he yelled.

"Shhh, shhhh. We have two children upstairs."

"Ginny…" He trailed off.

Ginny was shocked. She had known the man since she was 11, but he had never used her first name, let alone her nickname.

"Do you want to borrow a pensive?"

"Yes. And a stiff drink, if you please."

She nodded. "There's a room downstairs… Remus uses it for his 'time of the month'.

He nodded and headed for the staircase heading downstairs.

"Thank you, Ginny."

She nodded and busied herself with his drink.

He sighed and started down the steps.

* * *

"Mya, how did it go… after…?" He gestured wildly to represent what he meant

"I moved into my parents old house. They sold it to me, and that blew through all the money you gave me. I lived for a while doing odd jobs until I got too far along with Ria. Then I had enough for the first few months. Then I had to ask for help. You had already done so much… I had to go to Ginny. She came to help for a while, and then I got back on my feet. I wrote novels… and textbooks… and articles for magazines. All under Epanss, of course."

"You could have come to me, you know."

"I know… but pride stopped me."

"Damn Gryffindor pride."

"I thought pride was a Slytherin trait?"

He smiled, "I think it's universal."

"Of course."

"What then?" He asked her with interest shining in his eyes.

She shook her eyes. "I hid. That's all there is too it. I stole her life because I was afraid of the Death Eaters. We both saw her in there. She's not used to people."

"I'd say she wasn't exactly shy. She adjusted well."

"Too well, that's what scares me. That's not one of my qualities. When I switched worlds… I wouldn't speak for the longest time."

"So… what? You think her father has some genetic influence over her?"

"I guess."

"Mya, are you afraid she's going leave you too?"

Mya didn't answer.

"Oh, God, you are. Mya, who could replace you?"

"I'm sure he's found someone who would work." Mya spat, suddenly feeling sick.

"No. You know that he didn't."

"Oh, yeah. How could he not be picked up? Oh, I'm sorry, he's to busy PROTECTING US ALL to notice how damn miserable some of us are!"

"He's miserable too."

"How would you know? Have you gone up to him. 'What a lovely day? Oh, please don't hex me as I ask you about the girl who threw herself at your feet, desperate and alone. Never mind the fact she loved you. You only saw the RISKS of being together and looked over the fact she was PREGNANT WITH YOUR BLOODY CHILD!'"

Draco steped forward and looked her in the eyes, and Mya sickly noted that he was the spitting image of his father, except for his eyes.

"Did you ever tell him about that 'bloody child'? Did you ever let him know how you felt? Did you ever tell him you loved him?"

"Once. But he brushed it off like the dirt on his boots and kept walking."

"Cowardly." Draco pronounced.

"What, only telling him once? Not pushing myself to his feet, telling him how much I loved him? How I couldn't live with out him? That might piss him off more then even I'd try."

"Have you ever thought of the fact that maybe that's the only way to get through to him?"

"Well, then he's too damn blind for me to deal with, because I sure as hell left enough hints."

"Hints don't work with men, Sweets."

"Then fuck men. I wish I swung for the other team."

"No you don't."

"Maybe I do. Then what would happen?"

Draco rolled his eyes and brushed his lips up against Mya's. "Then that would have meant nothing."

She shook her head.

"It didn't."

Draco stared after her, shaking her head at the obvious pining after the man who didn't deserve her,

* * *

Snape sat in front of the large stone bowl, glaring down into it. He needed to get rid of these thoughts, these memories. They were slowly eating him from the inside out.

If she were here right now, he'd….

_You'd what?_ The inner Voldemort in him sneered. _Go all sappy? You left her Severus, not the other way around. Are you really expecting her to forgive and forget?_

He sighed and buried his face in his hands. Did he?

_No,_ he realized _She's dead. It doesn't matter. At all. As a matter of fact, I believe I'm going mad, right here. Thinking about her as if she's right here. She's gone Severus. She's NOT coming back. So get over it._

But could he?

He didn't know. The past seven years had been hell for him. She was always on his mind. He couldn't forget her.

It was his fault she went back out to the battlefield. HIS FAULT she was dead. If he had waited a few more minutes….

That's when he started to process the little Weasley's information. The letter, it had said she had been kidnapped. That meant that she didn't die in battle, but in some dungeon. That was even worse. That meant while he was in self-pity, while he was trying so desperately to forget, she had been alive, wondering if he was going to come rescue her.

He felt his heart rip in two.

Violently, he began to conjure up every single memory he had of her. Every conversation about her, every time he brushed past her in the hall, everything.

His eyes fell on one particular memory as it swirled in the stone basin.

XxXxXx Flashback XxXxXx

He stood in his classroom, staring blankly out at the rows and rows of incompetent students. He waved his hand at the blackboard where a extremely difficult potion's instruction was written in his neat, thin writing. "You have exactly one hour. Begin!" he snarled out at his students before collapsing into his chair. He wildly massaged his temples, trying to disperse any hangover the potion seemed to have missed. It was time to check the dates on his ingredients.

The last thing he needed right now was to hear a student's voice. But he wouldn't. They were all too scared of him for that.

One bloody child thought it safe to look him in the eyes. The second the connection had been made he regretted it.

In front of him, he saw a bushy-haired child being taunted to tears by a tall, burly looking girl with vibrant red curls. The small girl was shaking as the older figure grabbed her by her hair and shook her violently. Her head flopped about.

A younger, still bushy head was bounding down the steps on Christmas morning to find her parents distracted with a baby's coughs and pay her no mind. The tears welled up in her eyes as she looked on to the attention the baby was getting while another brunette slowly came down the steps.

An older child was trying to avoid the teacher's eyes as he asked a question.

A young teenager sat in the front of the dungeons, waving her hand around, simply trying to do what she had never head the courage to do before she received her letter.

A girl, well into her teens, was standing at the front of the Gryffindor common room, resisting the urge to plug her ears as her two best friends chatted on about Quidditch instead of doing their homework.

This time, the girl was about the same age as in the last one was blinking tears out of her eyes as a red-head boy glared down at her, looking extremely rejected.

He managed to tear his eyes away from hers, and judging from the wide-eyed stare he was receiving, she had seen as much about him as he had about her.

He groaned inwardly, knowing she was going to tell the rest of the Dream Team.

"Out!" he barked.

Everyone nearly ran for the door.

"Granger!" Snape snapped, "Detention tonight, seven o'clock and do not be late. I am in no mood for you to test my patience, for I fear the nice-guy façade you have seen slipping, fast."

Granger looked confused as to what she had done, but nodded and turned to leave.

XxXxXx End Flashback XxXxXx

He quickly pushed the pensive away and stood up, pacing.

He had always been so cruel to her. Why? Was it just for his hard-ass reputation, because Voldemort wouldn't have it any other way, or was it more? Did he think she wasn't living up to her own potential?

No, that wasn't it; she got no less then eleven out of tens in his class. How much better can you get?

Was it that he didn't want to join her fan club?

No, that was part of it, but it went deeper, more into his own past.

He didn't want her to end up like himself.

He had always been the smart-ass. He knew everything, read the material backward and forward and remembered it as such. He knew more about the subjects before he opened the book then the author themselves, but he couldn't stop himself from delving in and reading the book countless times, until every word was memorized in his head.

He had never been worried about appearances, thus his greasy hair. He supposed he could wash it more often, but the potions made it greasy to begin with, so he didn't see the point in upping his shower amount to more then every other day. He was a busy man, and did it really matter how perfect his locks were? He was a teacher, not a model.

He saw himself in Granger, in a way he hadn't realized until just now. He saw the thirst for knowledge, to the point of breaking any rule to get it. Bloody girl slept in the library half the time, going out to reread a book he knew she had memorized. She didn't wear make-up, and her robes were huge, more then likely Potter's or Weasley's, and she didn't care if her hair was bushy. She was her own person and stood out for it.

He knew what could happen if she started to get overly cocky. It had happened to him. She'd start thinking she was better then everyone and go join raving lunatics called the Death Eaters and kill innocent people for no other reason then they were just like that.

But no, she couldn't join his raving lunatics, they were against her kind. She'd have to find her own.

He could also see things in her that if he had possessed in himself, maybe his fate would have worked out differently. She had friends, who, although Severus would never admit this out loud, were better then his. Potter and Weasley would have given their right hands for her, and she would have done the same. They truly cared for one and other, and they were inseparable.

She also had compassion for every innocent thing. She would never have been able to sneak into a muggle's home and slowly torture their baby, just because they were there.

She believed in purity, and that made her all the more pure.

At least, she had been until he got to her.

After he had gotten to her, she was no longer pure. She was red. Blood red. Dead, in fact.

He had killed her.

Inadvertently, of course, but still, her blood was on his hands and conscious, mocking him every step of the way.

He had practically pushed her out the door, telling her he never wanted to see her again.

Pushed her into the arms of a Death Eater even more deadly then himself.

He sighed and told his mind to regroup and go to another subject. He had a potion to brew soon, and unless he wanted to do it and blow up the entire house, he'd better calm down.

His mind, did, indeed travel to another subject.

Mya Epanss. A pretty blond girl, in a stereotypical situation for pretty blonds. She had a kid, with no father. The child seemed to be coming up well, though, bright as the sun and sharp as a tack. The girl must be doing something right, even if she forgot her birth-control charms.

She was brazen and bold, with no clue as to when to shut her mouth. She was disrespectful and ill mannered. She acted as if family was to come before war. If they didn't win this war, families would suffer even more then they had.

But even in his head, that didn't sound right. He had already sacrificed one innocent bushy head to this war, would he let another die?

_So there ya go. We see some of Snape's internal conflicts and some Draco/Mya kissies. _

_Review please!_


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